Monday, October 31 2005 12:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: The Railways and Andhra Pradesh agencies are caught in a blame-game in their search for reasons that led to the worst train accident in the state's history killing 111 people and injuring many more.

Senior Railway officials today (Oct 31, 2005) faulted the state irrigation and revenue departments for failing to forewarn them about overflowing tanks in the region and the possible danger to the railway bridge due to breaches.

"It is a normal practice for the concerned irrigation officials to inform the Railways about the water flows and the likelihood of breaches to the tracks. It did not happen in this case," Principal Chief Engineer of South Central Railway R K Goel said.

Officials at South Central railway headquarters here contend that the timely warning by the state agencies could have helped avert the tragedy. The state officials, however, refused to take the onus for the mishap and pointed out that all necessary information about the flood situation was provided by the government.

Questions are also being raised over the possible failure of the gagman in alerting the driver of the ill-fated Repalle-Secunderabad Delta Fast Passenger on the flooding of the tracks.